Writing My Story

Donald Miller never ceases to amaze me. I want to get his new book.

Read his newest blog here: How I Use MySubplot


Then go here and read about my own "life" stories that I am writing: MyStories (more to come later)


Finally, go make your own.



Love.

Inactivity Leads to Atrophy

There are a few things that I enjoy doing and have a desire(sorta) to do but for some reason, haven't been able to bring myself to actually do it. Whether that is working on a painting that's been sitting around forever, writing a new poem or finishing an old one, or reading a book I've been wanting to read forever. I sorta want to do it but don't. I sorta want to read a whole book of the Bible and study it, but I don't. I sorta want to write out certain experiences and the feelings behind them, but I don't. Why?? Why????? I keep asking myself that. But I don't actually do any of it. I sorta just sit around thinking about doing it. "That's lame!" (She's the Man quote...haha) And well... I picked up a book today that I have yet to read all the way through, but I browse through it every once in a while.

Joyce Meyer's "Battlefield of the Mind". A few things stuck out to me as I read.

"When a believer is inactive in any area in which he has capability or talent, that particular area begins to atrophy or become immobilized. The longer he does nothing, the less he wants to do anything."
^^true story. I've gotten this way with lots of things(as stated above). It's annoying. I just dont really want to do anything... But that is because I have been inactive. Meyer uses the example of exercise to further her point. When you have been inactive in working out, you no longer have the desire to do it. It seems hard, not worth it, etc. when you are starting out. But once you become active it gets easier and more enjoyable.

"If you desire victory over your problems, you must have backbone and not just wishbone! You must be active--not passive."
^^loved this! Backbone and not wishbone. Active not passive. So I grew a backbone today, and I painted. I didn't exactly want to. I didn't exactly know what to paint. But I decided to put that aside and do it because I know I love it. And I am happier :) haha

One more:
"You will not change your behavior until you change your thoughts."
and Romans 8:6 says
"The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace."

Good things to think about...

That's all.

Love to you.

Words

Has not everything already been written by someone?

Have not the tales of love and disaster been penned by some stranger’s hand?

Have not the births and new beginnings been created from one person’s heart?

Have not the same adventures and dramas been expressed with ink and paper?

So what do I have to share? What can I say when I write that is so different from everything that is already out there?

That is the question I ask but know not the answer to. I wish to write and create something beautiful. Create a gathering of words that was not there before but now says something so poignant and distinct that it is one of a kind. But I know not what to write about. The desire and feelings are there, but not the words. What a terrible pity.

Connected Stories

As I am about a quarter of the way through the third book I've read in less than a week, I've come to a strange realization. If the author is a good one, he or she will create a new world in which these characters live and breathe and go about their lives, and we, the readers, are able to see this place in our mind's eye. We journey along with each character as they experience loss, love, family troubles, and whatever else befalls them. Now think about the last book you read, or maybe one you are reading right now. Do you ever find yourself connecting bits of the story with your own life? Do you ever imagine that the mother in the story is walking her dog around your neighborhood? Or that the scene of the pool party is happening in your backyard?

Maybe it's just me, but when I read books, I do this. It doesn't matter how good the author is at creating a new setting that I have never experienced. I always find a way to connect it to something I have. And what I find interesting, is that most of the time, I do not imagine things from places I am experiencing in the present. Most often, I imagine the old houses we used to live in. Or a friend's house. Or someplace I visited once. Or neighborhoods that I do not live in. I'm not even sure if this makes any sense, but it's just funny. By the end of the book, these made up characters have moved from my cousin's house in the suburbs to the house I used to live in in a quiet neighborhood, and go on vacation to a place I once visited. How weird. Does anyone else do this? Am I crazy? Either way, I think I like it. It makes me wonder about the brain and why and how it does the things it does. How it connects certain words or phrases to places we have been. Maybe it's a subconscious way that we are looking to connect with the story. If we can just bring it into our own world, our own homes, our own families, then we can more easily connect, understand, and perhaps empathize with what is going on.

White

Your love washes over me
Making me white as snow
You see only clean, pure, white
I am yours and yours alone.

Fall Food

We had a WONDERFUL dinner tonight. Pot roast. Yum. We put out a new table cloth(just a few bucks at a thrift store!) and used the china. 

 

Sooo yummmy!!

Fresh apple cider from Oak Glen!

After dinner Bre decided to make apple crisp with some of the apples we picked yesterday.

So pretty!

 Before putting the dessert in the oven, we decided to go to the parking garage to watch the sunset. It was lovelyy!

It sure has been a wonderful weekend. I am ready for fall. Even more so, I am ready for it to stop being 100 degrees and get cool! Pull out my scarves and boots. I can't wait.

Autumn Apples

The last two days have been FULL of autumny type things. Yay!

Yesterday, Mom, Dad, Bre and I headed to Oak Glen for a day. This is something we try to do every year in the fall. Normally we go in October for the pumpkins but we decided that we should go early and pick some apples! If you've never been and you like country things and picking fresh fruit, you should visit!!

The day started out with blue skies and beautiful clouds

 We stopped for lunch at the old school house. Bre collected acorns for crafty type things while the rest of us enjoyed the shade and took pictures.

The storm was coming... hence windblown hair haha

We've never seen this sign before so we had to get a picture with it.
Perhaps it will become a new tradition!

 After a long day getting in and out of the car at all the different places along the mountain, we finally picked apples! We picked spartan and gala apples.

 

 I ate one right from the tree and it was delicious. And warm. Sorta a cool thing, eating a freshly picked apple that was still warm from the sun.

After stopping at another place to use the restroom, it began to rain! And thunder and lightning!

Normally I enjoy thunderstorms, but I was scared... You're so much closer to it all when you're up on a mountain.... but the rain was lovely.

It was a long day but enjoyable with fun memories. Fall is here!

More pics of this evening to come soon!